Self-centering damper

Abstract

A self-centering damper has an elongated damping body and at least one returning device. The elongated damping body has at least one first wing plate and a supporting element connected to and extending from the first wing plate. The at least one returning device is connected to the damping body and has two holding rib plates respectively connected to the end segments of the damping body, a supporting rib plate securely connected to the damping body between the holding rib plates and at least one pre-stressed stay wire extending through the supporting rib plate and connected the holding rib plates in a tension condition.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A self-centering damper comprising:
 an elongated damping body having
 two sides; 
 two end segments; 
 an I-shaped cross-section; 
 a first wing plate having:
 two sides, each of the two sides having a width; 
 a middle, having:
 a width narrower than the width of each of the two sides of the first wing plate; and 
 two opposite sides; and 
 
 two concave segments respectively formed on the opposite sides of the middle of the first wing plate; 
 
 a second wing plate parallel to the first wing plate, the second wing plate having:
 two sides, each of the two sides having a width; 
 a middle, having:
 a width narrower than the width of each of the two sides of the second wing plate; and 
 two opposite sides; and 
 
 two concave segments respectively formed on the opposite sides of the middle of the second wing plate; and 
 
 a supporting element connected to the first wing plate and the second wing plate; and 
 
 at least one returning device connected to one of the sides of the damping body and each one of the at least one returning device having
 two holding rib plates respectively connected to the end segments of the damping body; 
 a supporting rib plate securely connected to the damping body between the holding rib plates; and 
 at least one pre-stressed stay wire extending through the supporting rib plate and connected to the holding rib plates in a tension condition. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each concave segment is V-shaped, U-shaped or trapezoidal shaped. 
     
     
       3. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the damper has two returning devices respectively and symmetrically connected to the sides of the damping body. 
     
     
       4. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein
 the supporting rib plate of each one of the returning devices has a through hole formed through the supporting rib plate; 
 each one of the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices has a holding hole formed through the holding rib plate; and 
 the at least one pre-stressed stay wire of each one of the returning devices extends through the through hole of the corresponding supporting rib plate and connected to the holding holes of the corresponding holding rib plates. 
 
     
     
       5. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein
 the supporting rib plate of each one of the returning devices has a through hole formed through a middle of the supporting rib plate; 
 each one of the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices has two holding holes formed through the holding rib plate respectively near the first and second wing plates; and 
 each one of the returning devices has at least two pre-stressed stay wires extending through the through hole of the corresponding supporting rib plate, and one of the at least two pre-stressed stay wires connected to one of the holding holes of one of the holding rib plates and the other one of the at least two pre-stressed stay wires connected to the other holding hole of the corresponding holding rib plate. 
 
     
     
       6. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein
 the supporting rib plate of each one of the returning devices has two through holes formed through the supporting rib plate; 
 each one of the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices has two holding holes formed through the holding rib plate respectively near the first and second wing plates; and 
 each one of the returning devices has at least two pre-stressed stay wires respectively extending through the through holes of the corresponding supporting rib plate, crossed to each other between the corresponding supporting rib plate and the corresponding holding rib plates and respectively connected to the holding holes of the corresponding holding rib plates. 
 
     
     
       7. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the distances between the supporting rib plate and the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices are the same. 
     
     
       8. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the distances between the supporting rib plate and the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices are unequal. 
     
     
       9. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein
 the supporting rib plate of each one of the returning devices has two through holes formed through the supporting rib plate respectively near the first and second wing plates; 
 each one of the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices has a holding hole formed through a middle of the holding rib plate; and 
 each one of the returning devices has at least two pre-stressed stay wires respectively extending through the through holes of the corresponding supporting rib plate, and each pre-stressed stay wire has two ends respectively connected to the holding hole of one of the corresponding holding rib plates and the holding hole of the other corresponding holding rib plate. 
 
     
     
       10. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the distances between the supporting rib plate and the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices are the same. 
     
     
       11. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the distances between the supporting rib plate and the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices are unequal. 
     
     
       12. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the damping body is an individual damper. 
     
     
       13. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the damping body is a part of a beam of a structure. 
     
     
       14. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the damper has two returning devices respectively and symmetrically connected to the sides of the damping body. 
     
     
       15. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the supporting rib plate of each one of the returning devices has a through hole formed through the supporting rib plate;
 each one of the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices has a holding hole formed through the holding rib plate; and 
 the at least one pre-stressed stay wire of each one of the returning devices extends through the through hole of the corresponding supporting rib plate and connected to the holding holes of the corresponding holding rib plates. 
 
     
     
       16. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the supporting rib plate of each one of the returning devices has a through hole formed through a middle of the supporting rib plate; 
 each one of the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices has two holding holes formed through the holding rib plate respectively near the first and second wing plates; and 
 each one of the returning devices has at least two pre-stressed stay wires extending through the through hole of the corresponding supporting rib plate, and one of the at least two pre-stressed stay wires connected to one of the holding holes of one of the holding rib plates and the other one of the at least two pre-stressed stay wires connected to the other holding hole of the corresponding holding rib plate. 
 
     
     
       17. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the supporting rib plate of each one of the returning devices has two through holes formed through the supporting rib plate; 
 each one of the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices has two holding holes formed through the holding rib plate respectively near the first and second wing plates; and 
 each one of the returning devices has at least two pre-stressed stay wires respectively extending through the through holes of the corresponding supporting rib plate, crossed to each other between the corresponding supporting rib plate and the corresponding holding rib plates and respectively connected to the holding holes of the corresponding holding rib plates. 
 
     
     
       18. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the distances between the supporting rib plate and the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices are the same. 
     
     
       19. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the distances between the supporting rib plate and the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices are unequal. 
     
     
       20. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the supporting rib plate of each one of the returning devices has two through holes formed through the supporting rib plate respectively near the first and second wing plates; 
 each one of the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices has a holding hole formed through a middle of the holding rib plate; and 
 each one of the returning devices has at least two pre-stressed stay wires respectively extending through the through holes of the corresponding supporting rib plate, and each pre-stressed stay wire has two ends respectively connected to the holding hole of one of the corresponding holding rib plates and the holding hole of the other corresponding holding rib plate. 
 
     
     
       21. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the distances between the supporting rib plate and the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices are the same. 
     
     
       22. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the distances between the supporting rib plate and the holding rib plates of each one of the returning devices are unequal. 
     
     
       23. The self-centering damper as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the damping body is an individual damper. 
     
     
       24. The damper as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the damping body is a part of a beam of a structure.